Completing My 2nd Hand Dug Irrigation Ditch At The Homestead

Very pleased with how this second irrigation ditch is coming together! Clouds are building, hope the storms set in soon. Thanks for tuning in! ~ Brian & Meadow

[@najruqwi7008]

Meadow sure likes to dig. Maybe you can train her to dig the ditch so she digs and you place the rocks. Your work will go faster... LOL 🤣 😂 🤣

[@t.dig.2040]

I have problems with my dogs deconstructing my check dams chasing after mice.

[@kayayala9091]

I like the use of rocks for swale edges. It looks nice

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Thank you, I think it looks pretty cool too!

[@ericstoever9577]

Spreader dams are amazing. There are examples of spreader dams changing hundreds of acres. Long lasting changes that last for generations.

[@kurt3463]

I like the look of those rock lined swales

[@paulsinger2539]

Good to see Meadow putting in work, nice rain in the white mountains as we speak!

[@michaeltaylor4984]

I'm sitting on my back porch enjoying the cooler breeze.

[@JonnyDIY]

💕👏💪👍 great work Brian & Meadow

[@bombadil776]

Love watching when it rains. Those swales are real neat.

[@frdmbe9258]

who needs a digger when you have Meadow. Great progress friend.

[@michaeltaylor4984]

You are getting great results. Great work.

[@ET_Videos]

Awesome! Really turning into an awesome homestead!

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Thank you!

[@Jax4umalta]

Brian, I don’t know if you recognize my name or not. I have been watching you for years. I am so proud of you and excited for all of your progress at your land. It has been amazing watching you on your journey from living in your truck to now. I normally don’t say much in your comments, but I just want you to know how happy I am for you truly. Cheers to you, my friend. Everything is looking great and you are looking amazing as well. ❤️

[@sheilacaine]

It does look cool. Plus the view you have is amazing. ❤❤

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

I sure lucked out with this land, feeling very grateful for the life I’m building out here.

[@Buck_Jones1909]

Thank you again for sharing your knowledge. I didn’t catch what you said about rain catchment techniques? All of this is extremely interesting! Thank you!

[@mikeranfurly1135]

Great idea with seeding the sides and creating a solid riparian area. Quick note for planting seeds. Depth is equal to the size of the seed. Grass seed is good at 1/4 to 1/2 an inch. Step on the ground afterwards to initiate solid contact of seeds to soil. Got 50 years of doing seedlings, here.. Love the whole aspect of what you are doing to reclaim the land. Great project and great dedication

[@SolzeyeJewels]

You're such a hard worker!

[@bobcatarizona4840]

Like #82 😁 improvements are looking good. The grass is really looking amazing. Nice to see that the dog will help you dig ditches LOL she look like she's having real fun out there 😊 when I finally move up north I'll have to see if I can find you.

[@gonnagetya1433]

Look at all that nice soil you are gathering. Nice.

[@sgrvtl7183]

Nice to see your hard work paying off, wonderful swales, water diversion and native grass. Your meadows look so green👌💯

[@Alexandra0707]

Howdy Brian and Meadow 🎉🎉❤

[@daneboro6847]

Irrigation system is turning great Brother 👍

[@rosedzindolet-faith5092]

Wow! The improvements you are making are incredible Brian 🤗❤️🙏🏼👼🏼

[@angeliquebelluomini7797]

Looks great!

[@terry_679]

Nice job on your irrigation ! That's a lot of hard work, but pays off in the long run. Brian, I am a soap maker and I can tell you that cold process bar soap, unscented and not colored ,is safe for washing anything and for groundwater. You can always find a local maker or online.

[@vlif479]

Awesome improvements. I enjoy following your progress. Plus thank you for sharing this knowledge. Totally works. Have a great day.

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

You bet, I love sharing my successes (and failures) out here. Really love how this second irrigation ditch turned out, I think it looks pretty cool!

[@shydiatl]

You have done an amazing job on your property. I really enjoy these videos. Looking great! Hi Meadow.❤

[@marlaf1545]

Hi Brian and Meadow , you got it looking good out there. I love how Meadow was helping you dig 😊 ❤❤

[@gilgoofthegrove5072]

its funny it seemed like the dog was actually helping more than hurting hahahah

[@mechanics4all405]

evidently if you keep trimming the native grasses they grow better,as years ago cattle were doing that job,check it out❤❤❤❤❤

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Yep that’s 100% true! I plan to get a small trimmer so I can hit the tallgrass a few times throughout the year. I’m really pleased with how things are going out here!

[@hienous9581]

Collect some of the trimmings and spread them above the check dams. If you time it while they're seeding you'll build up a solid seed bank in that prime soil.

[@t.dig.2040]

I live on an open range that has recently switched to a managed grazing plan with higher densities and smaller plots. Once mowed down, the cowboys push them on. It's been really fun watching the grass grow. 😆 🤣

[@wndykayyah]

Hello Brian and nizhoni Meadow! 👋😊 ❤

[@TimmyCramer]

Just done golfing and came home and jumped in my 200 gallon horse trough with a block of ice! Give me a ring! Prescott! Timmy C Arizona

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Yo Timmy! I got some neighbors visiting as we are doing some RC rock crawling followed by grilling steaks. I’ll give you a shout tomorrow!

[@PNWXOverland]

Afternoon brother! ✌️

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Yo Man!

[@zoizisi5598]

Good morning Brian and meadow nice video meadow I love where you play,,, Brian or your work is excellent 💯🆗❤️❤️❤️

[@racebanning6390]

I like it!!👍👍 good time to get thatgrass seeddown. Were gettin battered right now , 40mph Winds relentless. Hunkered down indoors. Enjoy the rains🤙🤙🏁🏁 Peace.

[@deanmartin9358]

Hello Brian your post has given a great idea for drainage for our garden what you are doing makes good sense as my property has a natural slope thanks

[@Jeanetteinnes]

The place is looking so green .. hanging onto the ground moisture 🎉

[@williammeek7218]

Everything looks great Brian. Swales irrigation canals. Terraforming your land.

[@jerryslater5173]

Do use bio- soap when you wash

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Yeah, I am using Mrs Meyers at the moment but will be switching soon once I make a town run.

[@littlegriffoffgridalberta6837]

Great job it's just understanding how to catch the good soil & save the moisture :) 👍I've been building a homestead for 11 years 100% off grid so lots of getting the grass growing to get the yard mud free & save moisture at the same time :)

[@pnowikow]

I am glad to see the property is coming along good. I remember when you were living in the truck full time and I was wondering if you'd ever settle down. Congrats on the new place brother

[@viviangill1806]

WOW BRIAN ! it's working. I'm a city girl , but I'm following and learning. Love your channel Brian! Hi Meadow! I'm still adjusting . (I miss Sierra i dare say so)

[@elsewhere9167]

Nice work... ! Cool running into you at the grocery store...🤙🤙

[@farmhouse43]

I'm really digging these updates man!

[@balabushka6510]

Hi Brian and Meadow, Enjoyed watching your videos especially how your work with Meadow and your property are coming along. Sincerely, Tanya Joe and the kitties

[@dravur]

We were up by Ash Fork checking out the Steel Dam and other sites up around there on Sunday.

[@CrummyVCR]

You actually already built enough to do what you need to. The "leaky" ones, leave them! just dig a 2 foot hole about 3-4 feet after them, this helps ground retention with a moisture retainer. So make a few good sized holes, start digging a reap the rewards dude :)

[@Kralphrn]

Greay job!! keep up the good work!

[@cwegescheide1]

Keep messing around and you’re gonna have to buy a lawnmower 😂😂. Good stuff Brian!

[@jessesizemore7006]

Now that you have built these check dams, if you dig contour ditches from the check dams you will make a larger area for the water to soak into the ground. By constructing these ditches on a contour they will be level such that water will pond and soak into the ground over a large area. What you have done looks wonderful and contour ditches will amplify the effect of the check dams with minimal effort.

[@OffGridBackcountryAdventures]

Yeah, I'm planning to dig some more contour ditches once I get back from Colorado in October. I love how the two I've built so far are helping the tallgrass to really increase in height due to more sub irrigation. I'm wanting to do about a dozen more while also working in my lower meadow to create more check dams. Love how the land responds so quickly to these changes.

[@gilgoofthegrove5072]

it might be meticulous, but just getting each one of those grass tufts out, with the roots, before you dig the next big swale, then you could just transplant them all right where you need it

[@madeleinerenteria2870]

Great to see how well your property is coming along. Your showing others that there's a different way to live. You don't have to be part of the rat race that gets caught up in paying high rents. Way to Go! 😊

[@railmeat]

Looks great! You are putting in a lot of work, it is good to see it pay off. You talk in several videos about cutting down Junipers because of the amount of water they use. Are there other trees that use less water and would be a benefit to the environment? Are you planning on planting trees? What kinds?

[@tinabriggs2286]

The desert legume project (DELEP) co-sponsored by the University of Arizona gives seeds out. Grasses are all well and good and better than nothing but legumes are probably a good bet as they add to soil fertility and accumulate Na etc in soils. Any way just an idea. Love your work!!

[@mrtiabrown]

Good Job

[@andrewpoole3020]

Hey, I see you have some horehound growing. I would recommend clearing it carefully asap or it will be everywhere in no time. It is evil up here in the az high country.

[@taj-ma-haul9094]

Like# 77

[@pappyjohn8142]

I know its a little more work but get those shorts going for the algorithm

[@wendysplace3867]

You've been working hard. Looks great! You could have a barefoot area. That ground looks rough :)

[@everettgaskins5040]

What about wild flowers that come back ever year

[@rsr3959]

Check out Media Lunas for spreading water. Lancaster's Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond books are worth buying and referencing too!

[@wildbillak]

Love what you’re doing. Very impressive! Recently retired from working and living in Alaska for the last thirty years, and looking for land in northern Arizona. Are there any realtors you might suggest? Thank you!

[@cyphercracker]

Cant u dig a biiig hole to make a pond? That would be cool and work as a reservoir to keep big areas of the ground wet

[@cyphercracker]

Amazing work btw! 😊

[@fletchdad8755]

This might be a stupid question , but if the natural grasses grow in tufts like that , should you plant the seeds like that ? You know in groups or bunches instead of scattering them to fall where they may ?

[@josesaldanha2683]

👏👏👏👏

[@wendyarnold5256]

❤

[@user-dt3sq7rw3b]

Do you forsee any issues with the cattle herd once the grass is well established?

[@MartineReed]

It looks like you have a huge bird’s nest in the tree next to your washing machine. Did you notice it? Is it a hawk nest?

[@lorettarussell3235]

Meadow looks like she is really digging/hunting for some kind of animal, mice, rabbits?

[@insAneTunA]

👍

[@scottp7587]

still never answered my question IF you knew that the land you bought had the rain drainage problems before you bought it would you of still purchased it???

[@ShaunPagan]

Headline: Local Arizona Man Earns Millions by Breeding Ditch Digging Dogs

[@billybobwombat2231]

🤙🦘

[@josesaldanha2683]

Do you know how to propagate your already stabilished grass?

[@josesaldanha2683]

I believe is more efetive in small areas like the check damns and ditch sides to use the roots of grass. Is takes more labor but is faster, for big areas like where you are trying to patch is not so good.

[@josesaldanha2683]

You should experiment at least.

[@klee88029]

Looking good. This is what I have been doing down in Luna County New Mexico. Glass bottles, necks down, work well also to edge your ditches. Alternating neck down, neck up is good to surround what you plant, rodents, in rabbits, shy away from them a they are too slippery for the little cuties to climb up them. 👍🧓